It's Paxton Lynch to the rescue in Denver.
Despite the Broncos' hopes that quarterback Trevor Siemian could play through a left foot sprain this weekend against the Jaguars, the team will turn to their rookie first-round pick for the second time this year, coach Gary Kubiak said.
Siemian injured his foot in an overtime loss to the Chiefs a week ago. He is considered day-to-day, Kubiak said.
Lynch started for an injured Siemian back on Oct. 9 in a 23-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In that game he completed 23 of 35 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He has 393 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on the season.
The Broncos (7-4) cannot afford a setback on the field this weekend. While the Jaguars might normally be a favorable opponent to start a rookie quarterback against, Lynch now shoulders the burden of keeping Denver's playoff hopes alive. The Broncos are currently third in the division, but are a game out in the AFC wild-card race.
Denver still has matchups against the two teams ahead of them -- Oakland and Kansas City -- remaining on the schedule.
Lynch flashed moments of promise in a limited sample size this year. His speed and pocket mobility are undoubtedly above average, but like every rookie the game needs to slow down for him. Despite their dismal record, Jacksonville (2-9) boasts a budding pass rush, led by recently-awoken free agent tackle Malik Jackson. Jackson, a former Bronco, would probably love nothing more than to show his old general manager that he's happy in Florida.
Lynch's spot start may be just that, with multiple reports out of Denver citing the foot sprain as a short-term injury. However, a strong performance keeps Denver in the mix and raises Lynch's confidence for his eventual takeover.
